Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has claimed that loanee defender William Saliba "has to" return to the club this summer following his loan spell at Marseille. It comes amid rumours linking the youngster with a move away from the Emirates this season.
Such transfer talks have come after a fantastic season for the Frenchman in Ligue 1. Individually, the 21-year-old won the division's Young Player of the Season, while as a collective, he helped guide Les Olympiens to second in the league and a guaranteed Champions League spot.
Another former Arsenal teammate, Matteo Guendouzi, is also at the French club, and already said that he hopes Saliba stays next season: "I hope William stays here. He’s having a great season, he deserves everything that has happened to him. He’s a great guy and he’s had a lot of great games."
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However, with a return to the Emirates on the cards, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to break into the first-team under Arteta. That's because in the past season, Ben White and Gabriel Magalhaes have built a partnership that was very rarely broken at the back.
It has raised questions over whether he will continue at Arsenal, however, the manager has come out to discuss the young centre-back, claiming he wants him to return. Speaking to RMC Sport, he said: "William Saliba has to come back. He has the experience to be competitive with us. We sent him to Marseille for his growth.
“William wanted to be regular starter as you know but now we want him back at Arsenal." It sends a clear message back to Saliba, after he recently claimed that he was "hurt" by being dropped to the youth team in his time at the club, with a demand for more first-team action.
Given the task at hand this summer, it could also save the Spaniard millions in trying to find another defender in the market.
